The Belize Zoo

The Belize Zoo began in 1983 by accident: a film crew left seventeen semi-tame animals behind at the end of a documentary shoot and the assistant in charge of them, Sharon Matola, found they could not be released and opened a zoo instead. The principle it settled on has held since: only Belizean species, and only animals that cannot survive in the wild, whether rescued, orphaned, confiscated or donated by other collections. Enclosures are cut into the existing forest rather than built on cleared ground, so the animals sit in their own habitat. Jaguars, tapirs, harpy eagles and all five native cats are here.

History

In 1983 a film crew led by the cinematographer Richard Foster made a documentary, Selva Verde, in Belize, and when the money ran out Sharon Matola, who had cared for the animals, stayed with the 17 of them, an ocelot, a puma, a jaguar and several birds, and opened a makeshift zoo to pay for their keep. Finding that many Belizeans knew little about their own wildlife, she turned the zoo to education, and with local and foreign support it moved to its present 12-hectare site in 1991 (Wikipedia, Belize Zoo).

What's there

• Jaguars - several, including animals moved out of conflict with farmers.
• Baird's tapir - the national animal, called the mountain cow here.
• The harpy eagle - part of a reintroduction programme.
• The enclosures - cut into standing forest rather than built on cleared land.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. Early morning and late afternoon are when the animals are active; midday they sleep. Night tours run by arrangement and are the best way to see the cats awake.

Things to know

It is a zoo, and animals in enclosures are not to everyone's taste, though the collection policy here is unusually principled. Midday visits see sleeping animals and little else. Facilities are simple. The site is small and takes about two hours.

Nearby

Belmopan is half an hour west; Belize City is 45 minutes east.

Key facts